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1-11 of 11
- Hope Summers could portray a friendly neighbor or companion as she did for Frances Bavier's Aunt Bee character on many episodes of The Andy Griffith Show (1960) or a seemingly amiable satanist in Rosemary's Baby (1968).
Born in Mattoon, Illinois, she developed an early interest in the theater. Graduating from Northwestern School of Speech in Evanston, Illinois, she subsequently taught speech and diction there. This, in turn, led to her the head position in the Speech Department at Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois, teaching students privately on the side as well. In the 1930s Hope began to focus on acting. She found work in community and stock theaters in Illinois and earned some notice for putting on one-woman shows such as "Backstage of Broadway." She made use of her vocal eloquence by building up her resumé on radio, performing in scores of dramatic shows, including "Authors' Playhouse," "First Night," "Ma Perkins", and "Step-Mother".
In 1950 Hope transferred her talents to the new medium of television and earned a regular role on the comedy series Hawkins Falls: A Television Novel (1950). By the age of 50 she was customarily called upon to play slightly older than she was, appearing in a number of minuscule matron roles in such films as Zero Hour! (1957), Hound-Dog Man (1959), Inherit the Wind (1960), Spencer's Mountain (1963), The Ghost and Mr. Chicken (1966), Charley Varrick (1973) and her last, Foul Play (1978). She never had any major stand-out roles in movies; TV would be a more prolific choice of medium. Her gently stern, old-fashioned looks allowed her to be a part of many small-town settings, including Dennis the Menace (1959) and Petticoat Junction (1963), and in various western locales such as Maverick (1957) and Wagon Train (1957).
She played a rustic regular for many years on The Rifleman (1958). Usually assigned to play teachers, nurses and other helpful, nurturing types, her characters were also known to be inveterate gossips. Hope worked until close to the end of her life, passing away from heart failure in 1979. - Actor
- Writer
- Sound Department
One of the lesser remembered but quite active child actors during the 30s and 40s was Jackie Moran. Born in 1923, he was a tyke model placed into films as a teen, often cast as a feisty street orphan. David O. Selznick took an interest in the gangly, fair-haired lad and cast him as Huckleberry Finn in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1938) and in Since You Went Away (1944), not to mention a bit part in his epic classic Gone with the Wind (1939). Jackie made a solid appearance in the Buck Rogers (1939) serial in which he played young Buddy, who co-piloted the giant dirigible along with Buster Crabbe's titular hero. In the 40s Jackie played in a number of youth-oriented programmers, none particularly memorable, though he did create the role of teenager Jimmy Forrest in a mildly popular series of be-bop musical comedy romps that included Junior Prom (1946), Freddie Steps Out (1946), and High School Hero (1946). He retired from acting in 1947 and became interested in screen writing and public relations work. He died at 67 of cancer in 1990.- Dorothy Moore was born on 12 January 1919 in Mattoon, Illinois, USA. She was an actress, known for Blondie Meets the Boss (1939), Girl in 313 (1940) and The Big Shot (1937). She died on 5 October 2005 in Van Nuys, California, USA.
- James Morrison was born on 15 November 1888 in Mattoon, Illinois, USA. He was an actor, known for Captain Blood (1924), The Sex Lure (1916) and The Count of Luxembourg (1926). He died on 15 November 1974 in New York City, New York, USA.
- Kim Chizevsky-Nicholls was born on 23 April 1968 in Mattoon, Illinois, USA. She is an actress, known for The Cell (2000) and Nasser on the Way: Part Two (2000).
- Additional Crew
- Actor
- Transportation Department
Tracy was born in Mattoon, a small farming town in Central Ill. Although living on a working farm, his parents saw to it that he and his brother were introduced to all of the performing arts. While in 7th grade at Humboldt (IL) Jr. High, he won his first big part, that of Able Bodied Seaman, Ralph Rackstraw, in "The H.M.S. Pinafore".
Transferring to Western Military Academy for his Junior and Senior years of High School, he was one of the founding members of that school's first Theatre Club. His favorite Cadet-produced show at the Academy was the one act, "If Men Played Cards Like Women Do." Going directly from High School into the U.S.Air Force, he was again a founder, this time it was the Sheppard A.F.B. Little Theatre in Wichita Falls, TX. where he performed in "The Night of Jan. 16th", "Born Yesterday" and others. Enrolling in drama/acting classes at the nearby Southwestern University, he played Michael O'Neill in "The Moon Is Blue" and Paris in "Tiger at the Gates".
Being discharged from the Air Force in Sept.,'61, Tracy headed to the coast and enrolled in the Calif. State College of Theatre Arts at the Pasadena Playhouse in '62. There, he was in several student productions. He was Rafi in "Hassan", Witch Boy John in "Dark of the Moon", a Policeman in "The Rope Dancers", the Piano Player in "By Hex" and Ned Darrell in 5 acts out of Eugene O'Neil's 9 act masterpiece, "Strange Interlude."
Upon leaving the Playhouse, he played keyboards in several bands over the next few years, returning to theatre again, in '73, as President of the South Gate Theatre Guild. There, he was seen in various roles including Mortimer Brewster in "Arsenic and Old Lace," Simon Mostyn in "Murder on the Nile" and Ugly Sister Flo in an English Pantomime version of "Cinderella". Moving to Orange County in '77, he was back in "Arsenic and Old Lace", at the Harlequin Dinner Theater, this time as Mr. Witherspoon. He was also seen as Watson Frye in Nancy Ebsen's production of Elizabeth Digg's "Close Ties" at the Newport Harbor Actors Theatre.
In 1980 he joined the Nancy Mott Casting Agency, casting Background Players in features ("Dreamscape", "Fear City", "Mass Appeal", "Breakin'2: Electric Bugaloo", "Body Rock" and "Surf Nazis Must Die", among others), television ("Harry and the Hendersons" and "The New Adventures of Lassie")and the latest thing, Rock Videos (Glenn Fry, Sammy Hagar, White Snake, Donna Summers). He then went on to the Atmosphere Agency and, finally, to Reatha Grey's agency, Grey Images. He had just finished casting 2 M.O.W.'s for her when the call came from Central Casting that they wanted him to audition to be Patrick Stewart's stand-in on "Star Trek:The Next Generation".
Tracy won the audition and was with the series for the final four seasons. There was a chance to again return to theatre in '93 when, as a member of the Pasadena Playhouse Alumni & Associates, he helped to mount an all-alumni production of Wm. Saroyan's "Time of Your Life" on the mainstage. He played Blick.
When Star Trek was canceled, he continued as Mr. Stewart's stand-in through the independent thriller, "Safe House" and the 3 Trek features,"Generations", "First Contact" and "Insurrection". Having moved to Oregon to assist his brother with their aging parents, he was unable to join the cast and crew for "Star Trek: Nemesis".
Shortly after arriving in Portland, he was recruited to be the pianoman for singer/ guitarist/song writer, Peter duBois. Assuming his musical alter-ego, Recycleman, duBois sang his original tunes as a way of teaching about the environment. At this time he was forming a back-up band. So Tracy (as Bruce Reduce) joined bassist, Chris Palmedo (Chris P. Compost) and drummer, Todd Aschoff (Mervin Conservin), to become his rock'n'roll ensemble, The Dumpster Divers.
From '01 through '10, Recycleman and the Dumpster Divers played for more than 235,000 people, mostly children, through school assemblies, county fairs and Earth Day events. In addition playing duBois'"Eco-tainment" shows, Tracy took time to play Deputy Ben in the Seattle-based independent horror film, "Cthulhu", as well as to work with Portland State University Professor, Charles Deemer, on several of his "small-screen" projects.
Tracy returned to So. Cal. in '11 and is currently continuing the pursuit of a theatrical/screen career.- Raised in Hannibal, Missouri which is known to be Mark Twain country. First started acting at an outdoor theatre playing the roles of Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn. Obtained his A.A. Degree in Theatre Acting from Santa Barbara College. Obtained his B.A. Degree in Film Directing from California State University, Northridge.
- Roscoe Vernon Gaddis was born on 28 January 1896 in Mattoon, Illinois, USA. He died on 23 October 1986 in Bingham, Maine, USA.
- James Weston Banning was born on 17 September 2002 in Mattoon, Illinois. He is an actor, known for Goblin (2020), The Friendly (2024) and Very Really Good (2018).
- Luke Ryan was born on 15 December 1974 in Mattoon, Illinois, USA. He is a producer and actor, known for Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle (2004), Martian Child (2007) and King's Ransom (2005).
- John Reynolds was born in 1921 in Mattoon, Illinois, USA. John was a producer, known for Scared Straight! Another Story (1980). John died on 14 July 2008 in Montecito, California, USA.